Apple TV refresh imminent in wake of Google TV?

With Google TV coming in the Fall, there’s a good reason to assume that Apple may give its existing TV platform a makeover. What, did you think they’d watch Google get TV right when they obviously have a “miss” on their part?

As it is today, Apple TV is very..Apple-like. Meaning closed and limited. A major refresh would probably integrate the iPhone OS into the existing Apple TV, a trend that doesn’t seem like it will be going away anytime soon. Like Google TV, a refreshed Apple TV would probably give users access to the App Store’s robust selection of third-party applications. A refresh may also allow the user to access more content other than their iTunes library, iTunes movie rentals, and YouTube videos. But I wouldn’t expect it to include Flash.

There’re also rumors that Apple TV could receive quite the price cut as well. Right now the price stands at $229, and it’s rumored to go all the way down to $99. A price cut like that could really challenge Google TV, as limited as Apple’s version may be.

Google needs to meet that price point, if not undercut it. Though prices were not released for the upcoming Logitech products, I’d expect them to be around $200. Let’s hope that with the news of Apple’s revamp of their service, Google’s TV products will be priced competitively.

No matter what happens, this is a good thing. With Apple and Google at each others’ throats in more than one area, consumers stand to benefit from this long-winded fight between the behemoth tech companies. While Apple’s TV product has yet to truly take off, it may have just been timing and lack of a clear use-case that kept the Apple TV from soarin. It does seem true that the industry is ready for something like this. With lots of heat building pressure, 2010will be the year that TV gets a much-needed makeover.